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Last week’s 12 Monkeys premiere set the stage, as pilots typically do. The mission to kill off scientist Leland Goines was intended to change the future. It disappointingly—and unsurprisingly—didn’t change anything, so here we are. In this week’s followup, “Mentally Divergent,” Cole and Cassie (I’m going with Cassie, BTW) are figuring out the next step. In the process, we meet new faces, uncover new puzzle pieces, and get confused all over again.

Let’s take a dive, shall we?

Ramse. Ramse (Kirk Acevedo) is from Cole’s past—before he came to be a time traveler—and he’s only there because Cole requested it. I like Ramse. He’s got an honest concern for Cole’s well-being and he’s not afraid to push the buttons of the stodgy, one-way-thinking future scientists. Plus, Cole and Ramse have a buddy-buddy thing going on, adding a little comic relief to an otherwise super-serious show.

Time travel is limited. It’s certain that 2015 is an important year. It offers the first clues about the plague’s development—timelines that need to be stopped—but in the premiere, Leland Goines mentioned something about 1987. In THIS episode, Future Doc Jones (played by German actress Barbara Sukowa) explains that traveling back that far isn’t possible … yet. Ooh, is this something to look forward to? So, how far back can we go? We know we can at least get to 2006, where Cole is accidentally sent, to North Korea no less, instead of his intended destination, a mental hospital in Philadelphia in 2015.

Jennifer Goines. Finally, we meet our female Brad Pitt. And, let me tell you, they did a nice little homage to Pitt’s award-winning character. Cole and Ramse discover Jennifer’s monkeys drawings in the old mental hospital. Cole’s new mission: Find the person who did the sketches and figure out what they know. Of course, when he realizes it’s Jennifer Goines, Leland’s daughter, that adds a whole new layer to the story.

When we meet Jennifer, she is, yep, CRAZY. But, she’s also a bit sad. She knows things. Things Cole needs to know. But she’s scared. Jennifer worked for her father back in the day—and she was always a little off—but a horrific incident occurs when her lab is attacked by the Pallid Man (see below), killing everyone but a few people. This catastrophe shuts her down. To top it off, she’s blamed for the killings and is thus institutionalized.

Jennifer learns to trust Cole—a little—before the Pallid Man captures her. We learn that the deadly virus that wipes out about 7 billion people is buried deep in something called “the night room,” and there is another scientist who escaped the Pallid Man’s clutches during that lab attack. Oh, and I do believe there was a moment between Jennifer and Cole … if you know what I mean.

Cassie doesn’t give up. Our girl Cassie’s story should be over. She aided Cole in his first mission. While Doc Jones doesn’t want Cole to have anything else to do with Cassie (as it could alter time in a horrible way), it’s not really his decision. Cassie’s in the know now—and she is going to be involved, whether Jones and Cole like it or not. (Of course, Cole likes it.) For Cole’s mission, she further destroys her relationship with her ex-boyfriend, Aaron (Noah Bean). FYI—Aaron’s not a bad guy. He just thinks Cassie’s gone a little nuts since her story of the time-traveling kidnapper. He still cares for her.

In the end, Cassie saves Cole from the mental hospital—when she feigns being his doctor and has him discharged. Considering the lengths she goes to help Cole, even Jones begrudgingly agrees to allow Cassie to help Cole with the overall mission. She’s an asset.

I’d also like to point out Cassie’s Olivia Dunham style approach to fashion. She’s sensible, she’s comfortable, and she works some low-maintenance (but still good-looking!) hair. Thank you, Cassie. It’s believable and much appreciated.

The Pallid Man. Cassie also introduces us to our first real villain: the Pallid Man (Tom Noonan). When she goes to visit her friend Jeremy (who aided them in the first episode), she discovers he’s dead—with flowers stuck in his eye sockets, nose, and mouth. Awful much? The Pallid Man appears and takes all the credit for Jeremy’s death. He died because he was asking too many questions. AND he knows (of) Cole.

He’s a bad dude. Not just a killer. He’s a super-calm killer on a mission with weird methodical routines (e.g., stuffing flowers in face cavities). Plus, he wears a black suit and hat. That just SCREAMS evil, yeah?

And there we are. Jennifer is in the mix. The Pallid Man is on his own diabolical quest. Cassie and Cole (and Jones and Ramse) are officially a team. Next up: figuring out where the “night room” is located and finding the other scientist who got away from the Pallid Man’s massacre.

Memorable Quotes

Ramse to Cole: You’re not the same man since you’ve been back … and you’re bringing me down.

Jennifer: Something broke inside me. I couldn’t speak.

Terminology

Vintage: A noun used to refer to something old. Example: Ramse tells Cole he needs to get laid and that they should hook up with a vintage (meaning a girl from the past).

Slingshot: Verb used when someone travels back to the wrong time/place, so they now need to transport to the correct time/place. Example: When Cole was in North Korea, he needed to slingshot from that situation ASAP.

Expression Of JoyThe Brady Bunch: Groovy! The Bradys: Ritual hugging Married…With Children: ”Oh, great.” Thirtysomething: ”Of course I’m happy for you. Really. But what about me? Why does it always have to be about you? The Flintstones: ”Yabba-dabba doo

Expression Of Rage

The Brady Bunch: ”Hmmm…” The Bradys: ”If you back away from something you really want, then you’re a quitter!” (the angriest any Brady has ever been) Married…With Children: ”Aaagh, God, take me from this miserable life!” Thirtysomething: ”I’m not angry, OK?” The Flintstones: ”Willllmaaaa!”

Typical ProblemThe Brady Bunch: Marcia and her rival both want to be the prom queen. The Bradys: Bobby gets paralyzed. Married…With Children: Al doesn’t buy his family Christmas presents. Thirtysomething: Nancy gets cancer. The Flintstones: Fred and Barney are staying out too late.

Typical SolutionThe Brady Bunch: The prom committee decides to have two queens. The Bradys: Bobby gets married. Married…With Children: They hate him. Thirtysomething: If only we knew… The Flintstones: Wilma and Betty decide to follow them.

Attitude Toward SexThe Brady Bunch: Never heard of it The Bradys: Omigod — even Cindy does it! Married…With Children: Peg: Yes. Al: No. Thirtysomething: They didn’t get all those kids by accident. The Flintstones: Prehistoric

How Spouses FightThe Brady Bunch: They don’t. The Bradys: Infrequently, but it happens Married…With Children: Tooth and nail Thirtysomething: They stop talking The Flintstones: Fred and Barney go bowling while Wilma and Betty max out their charge cards.

How Kids Get Into TroubleThe Brady Bunch: Greg takes a puff of a cigarette. The Bradys: Carol’s grandson steals her business cards and sticks them in the spokes of Bobby’s wheelchair. Married…With Children: By committing felonies Thirtysomething: Ethan plays with a forbidden toy rocket. The Flintstones: They don’t.

How They’re Punished

The Brady Bunch: ”It’s not what you did, honey — it’s that you couldn’t come to us.” The Bradys ”Next time, ask.” Married…With Children: By the authorities Thirtysomething: It blows up in his face. The Flintstones: They’re not.

What Family Does For FunThe Brady Bunch: Takes special three-part vacations to Hawaii and the Grand Canyon The Bradys: Has flashbacks Married…With Children: Exchanges insults Thirtysomething: Talks The Flintstones: Attends showings of The Monster at the Bedrock Drive-In

Unsolved MysteriesThe Brady Bunch: How exactly did Carol’s first husband and Mike’s first wife die? The Bradys: What’s with Marcia’s new face and Bobby’s blonde hair Married…With Children: What kind of hair spray does Peg use? Thirtysomething: Why did Nancy take Elliot back? What do Gary and Susanna see in each other? The Flintstones: How does Barney’s shirt stay on if he has no shoulders? Where do Fred and Wilma plug in their TV?

Worst BehaviorThe Brady Bunch: The Brady children once made Alice feel under-appreciated.

Best Reason To WatchThe Brady Bunch: This is what life should be. The Bradys: They’re all grown-ups now! Married…With Children: Terry Rakolta hates it. Thirtysomething (Tie) This is your life. This isn’t your life. The Flintstones: This is what life might have been.

Best Reason Not To WatchThe Brady Bunch: Blurred vision from rerun overdoses. The Bradys: You’re all grown-ups now. Married…With Children: She has a point. Thirtysomething: After a while, you think it’s real. The Flintstones: The Simpsons

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